This invention relates to an analog of rapamycin, namely 21-norrapamycin, and a method for using 21-norrapamycin to induce immunosuppression and in the treatment or prevention of transplantation rejection, graft vs. host disease, autoimmune diseases, diseases of inflammation, solid tumors, fungal infections, and hyperproliferative vascular disorders.
Rapamycin is a macrocyclic triene antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus, which was found to have antifungal activity, particularly against Candida albicans, both in vitro and in vivo [C. Vezina et al., J. Antibiot. 28, 721 (1975); S. N. Sehgal et al., J. Antibiot. 28, 727 (1975); H. A. Baker et al., J. Antibiot. 31,539 (1978); U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,992; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,749].
Rapamycin alone (U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,171) or in combination with picibanil (U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,653) has been shown to have antitumor activity. R. Martel et al. [Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 55, 48 (1977)] disclosed that rapamycin is effective in the experimental allergic encephalomyelitis model, a model for multiple sclerosis; in the adjuvant arthritis model, a model for rheumatoid arthritis; and effectively inhibited the formation of IgE-like antibodies.
The immunosuppressive effects of rapamycin have been disclosed in FASEB 3, 3411 (1989) and its utility in preventing transplantation rejection shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,899. Cyclosporin A and FK-506, other macrocyclic molecules, also have been shown to be effective as immunosuppressive agents, therefore useful in preventing transplant rejection [FASEB 3, 3411 (1989); FASEB 3, 5256 (1989); and R. Y. Calne et al., Lancet 1183 (1978)].
Rapamycin has also been shown to be useful in preventing or treating systemic lupus erythematosus [U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,999], pulmonary inflammation [U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,899], insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [Fifth Int. Conf. Inflamm. Res. Assoc. 121 (Abstract), (1990) and European Patent Application 507,555 A1], and smooth muscle cell proliferation and intimal thickening following vascular injury [Morris, R. J. Heart Lung Transplant 11 (pt. 2): 197 (1992)].
Mono- and diacylated derivatives of rapamycin (esterified at the 28 and 43 positions) have been shown to be useful as antifungal agents (U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,885) and used to make water soluble prodrugs of rapamycin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,803). Recently, the numbering convention for rapamycin has been changed; under Chemical Abstracts nomenclature, the above described esters would be at the 31- and 42-positions. 21-Norrapamycin could also be referred to as 19-norrapamycin under the older nomenclature system.